Managerial Communication

Courses

Courses for Academic Year 2016

Description: Managerial power and responsibility. Examines conflicts between power and moral responsibility and the contexts for choice in dealing with a number of such problems. Readings are principally "classics" used to illustrate several enduring issues. Restricted to Sloan Fellows in Innovation and Global Leadership.

Description: Explores how we use story to articulate ethical norms. The syllabus consists of short fiction, novels, plays, feature films and some non-fiction. Major topics include leadership and authority, professionalism, the nature of ethical standards, social enterprise, and questions of gender, cultural and individual identity, and work/life balance. Materials vary from year to year, but past readings have included work by Robert Bolt, Michael Frayn, Timothy Mo, Wole Soyinka, H.D. Thoreau, and others; films have included Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hotel Rwanda, The Descendants, Motorcycle Diaries, Three Kings, and others. Draws on various professions and national cultures, and is run as a series of moderated discussions, with students centrally engaged in the teaching process.

15.270 Ethical Practice: Leading Through Professionalism, Social Responsibility, and System Design
Description: Introduction to ethics in business, with a focus on business management. Students explore theoretical concepts in business ethics, and cases representing the challenges they will likely face as managers. Opportunity to work with guest faculty as well as business and other professional practitioners. Individual sessions take the form of moderated discussion, with occasional short lectures from instructor.

Description: Focuses on how to communicate data clearly and effectively in a variety of situations. Develops skills to deliver data-oriented communications in both oral and written formats. Students participate in self-assessments and peer feedback. Final project involves a team presentation on a complex topic. Instruction in written and oral communication provided throughout course.

Description: Develops writing, speaking, teamwork, interpersonal, and cross-cultural communication skills necessary for management professionals. Assignments include creating persuasive memos, writing in response to cases, and giving presentations. Major project involves the production of a team report and presentation on a topic of interest to a professional audience. Instruction in written and oral communication provided.

Description: Students develop and polish communication strategies and methods through discussion, examples, and practice. Emphasizes writing and speaking skills necessary for effective leaders. Includes several oral and written assignments which are integrated with other subjects, and with career development activities, when possible. Schedule and curriculum coordinated with Organizational Processes. Mandatory one hour recitation in small groups. Restricted to first-year Sloan graduate students.

Description: Introduces interactive oral and interpersonal communication skills critical to leaders, including strategies for presenting to a hostile audience, running effective and productive meetings, active listening, and contributing to group decision-making. Includes team-run classes on chosen communication topics, and an individual analysis of leadership qualities and characteristics. Students deliver an oral presentation and an executive summary, both aimed at a business audience.

Description: Uses Shakespeare to challenge students' views of leadership and provide them with a deeper understanding of their performance as a leader. While performing shortened versions of Shakespeare's plays, students consider the serious questions they raise about the nature of leadership, power, and ambition, and explore their own leadership presence. Uses acting to strengthen speaking ability and personal presence.

Description: Focuses on the communication skills needed for a career in academia. Topics include writing for academic journals, preparing and delivering conference papers and job talks, peer reviewing for journals and conferences, and teaching. Participants are expected to work on a written project and deliver an oral presentation based on their current research. Restricted to doctoral students who have completed their first year. Limited to 20; priority to Sloan students.

Description: Develops communication skills crucial to successful management. Focuses on identifying a range of communication styles, and recognizing how to use them; dealing successfully with challenging or hostile audiences; understanding cross-cultural and global communication issues and differences; and leading and communicating in a crisis situation. Restricted to Executive MBA students.

Description: Students participate in off-campus work or internship experience and apply topics of management and/or culture to their experience. Requirements include mandatory attendance at one workshop and a written deliverable. Students must have a formal employment offer prior to enrolling. Restricted to MIT Sloan students who have been in legal F1 status for nine consecutive months and who wish to work in the United States in an area related to their field of study. Additional restrictions may apply.